343 Masters Degree Programs in Japan

The Graduate School of Tourism Sciences, established in 2009, is the newest graduate school in the University. The main characteristic of the graduate school is its unique educational programs that allow graduate students to acquire interdisciplinary and specialized knowledge about tourism. The education framework of our graduate school is based on the core value of “sustainability”. Before selecting a specific field of specialization, students learn the basics of the three main fields of tourism: tourism business, tourism development, and tourism resource management. This trains students to develop the ability to examine tourism studies from a specialized and multidisciplinary approach. The graduate school also conducts classes on Okinawa, which is a leading tourist destination in Japan. The aim of our graduate school is to cultivate human resources that can lead tourism in Okinawa, Japan, and around the globe, so as to realize the goal of making Japan a truly tourism-oriented country. In addition, our school hopes to nurture prospective leaders who will be able to power mutual understanding internationally and stimulate both national and local economies in the future.

The Department of Private Law covers a wide range of areas, from the fundamentals of legal theory within and outside Japan to recent developments in specialist fields, and is designed to nurture legal specialists with the ability to work at the heart of future society, such as: researchers with superlative research capabilities; civil servants capable of contributing to international society; corporate law specialists with the ability to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently; graduates with an extensive grounding in legal theory who wish to continue on to Law School; and highly experienced and diligent international specialist lawyers. At the Department, we provide general instruction on broad themes through seminars led by faculty members specializing in law, as well as personal instruction to each graduate student on how to conduct research based on a certain research theme. Roughly 50 lectures are given in connection with research at seminars known as the "General Seminar on Private Law," at which several faculty members give lectures on topical themes (including visiting faculty from abroad) in an omnibus format. Based on the knowledge learned there, students conduct research on court precedents and are taught how to write a thesis in the seminar entitled "Research Methodology," which focuses mainly on research methods of references from Japan, U.K., U.S., France, Germany, and Asia, as well as comments on writing academic papers. Thereafter, faculty members provide research instructions to students and help them complete their theses.

The Graduate School of Nutritional Sciences, only with a Master's Course opened in 1990 based on the long tradition and history of food-related achievements at Nakamura Gakuen University. In 2004, the first-ever Doctor's course established as an education and research facility related to nutrition in western Japan.

With the advent of a population explosion in developing countries and increasing global environmental problems, there is a growing concern for the world food supply in the near future. In particular, the considerably low food self-sufficiency ratio of Japan requires the establishment of a stable food supply system.

The Graduate School of Education (Master's Course) consists of two majors: Professional Teacher Development and School Education Support. The Major in Professional Teacher Development aims to train school leaders and mid-career teachers in advanced theory as well as practical and applicable skills, while also fostering competent young teachers. The major in School Education Support consists of two courses: Clinical Psychology in Education and Japanese Language Support. The Clinical Psychology in Education Course trains specialists of education for children with mental health problems or disabilities through courses on educational psychology, clinical psychology, and special needs education. The Japanese Language Support Course cultivates professionals who have capacities to provide 1) learners support for children with international background in Japan, and also 2) Japanese language education support for children who are living abroad. Moreover, the course focuses on training skills for supporting foreigners and promoting international exchanges in both Japan and overseas.

In 1989, with the goal of serving the needs of the industrial community, Kobe University founded the graduate school for practicing managers and professionals, the first establishment of its kind in Japan among government-owned universities. Prior to the school’s establishment, we organized a series of meetings attended by Human Resource Managers from diverse companies, together with selected members of our faculty, to devise a prototype for a new and innovative graduate school.

This course is distinctly international. Focusing on the West, China and, Asia, in particular, gives students a theoretical grounding in international economics and develops their ability in a foreign language. The course aims to produce students who go on to work in international companies and NGOs.

The Faculty’s academic programs are designed to equip graduates with flexible and critical thinking, linguistic abilities, and cultural skills necessary to take the lead in bridging differences and promoting understanding in today’s increasingly multicultural and complex world. Diversity in the FLA student body, comprised of over fifty nationalities, including students educated at Japanese and international high schools in Japan, as well as both degree students and exchange students from abroad, provides an ideal environment for achieving the FLA’s educational mission.

The Japanese Literature program offers an all-encompassing education in the literature of Japan, from the ancient to the medieval and early modern as well as modern and contemporary. The course involves detailed readings of individual works and suggests various ways to approach different authors and the prevailing trends of different eras, resulting in significant findings. Members of the faculty include Professor Iikura Yōichi (early modern literature), Associate Professor Saitō Masao (modern and contemporary literature), and Associate Professor Seta Michio (medieval literature).

Initially aimed at training Catholic church clergy and religious education, it is now open to anyone seeking to learn Christian ethics and culture. Based on Christian values, we will look at various problems in the modern world, acquire solid values ​​in a confused modern society, and seek out the true form of human beings and society. As the only Catholic theology department in Japan, we train priests/priests, believers, religious teachers, and people who acquire Christian ethics and culture and contribute to the international community.

This faculty was opened as the first coeducational faculty of nutrition in Japan. It takes pride in being a traditional faculty of nutrition and has produced many registered dietitians and nutrition teachers, medical technologists, and food sanitation inspectors (administrators) who are involved in the maintenance and advancement of human health. The course of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics for producing national registered dietitians, and Course of Medical Technologies for producing medical technologists, were established to provide human resources with a rich education and high degree of professionalism.

The Economics Program admits 50 students annually; it is ranked as one of the best economics graduate programs in Japan. Students must complete required courses of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, and Economic History, as well as courses relevant to specific fields, and pass their master theses to earn the Master of Economics degree. Field options include Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Econometrics, Public Economics. Monetary Economics, Labor Economics, International Trade, International Finance, Mathematical Economics, Behavioral Economics, History of Economics, Economic History, and Business History. Most graduates pursue doctoral degrees thereafter.

Kobe University has one of the most respected graduate schools of business administration in Japan. In their first 2 years at the graduate school, with the goal of developing the core research skills necessary for the final 3 years of the program, each student, under the supervision of their advisor, selects coursework from nine core courses and three research methodology courses. Over the following 3 years, students concentrate on writing a Ph.D. thesis, in close consultation with the members of their Ph.D. dissertation committee.

This course looks at literature from Japan and around the world to provide students with a wide range of perspectives and explore the links between the internal and external (“environmental”) worlds of an artistic work through a multifaceted approach incorporating natural, human, and cultural environments in pursuit of the issues that transcend boundaries. Important components of the process include reading texts within the context of their contemporary societies, cultures, and norms; questioning media announcing their publication; and considering the relationships between texts and other genres, such as art, theater, and film.

The Graduate School of International Politics and Economics offers a two-year master’s course aimed at fostering highly qualified professionals. The course is intended to train internationally-minded professionals with a broad global view and practical skills, through researches on politics, economics, laws and social situations in Asia from today’s standpoint in the Globalization Era.